Ohio family law: Think twice before posting to social media

Social media is a part of everyday life for most people. Numerous Ohio residents turn to sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to share details of their lives with family, friends and strangers. While these sites grant people connections with others, what one posts on social media can have severe consequences if one is not careful. A woman in another state found this out the hard way when she aired her family law issue on Facebook in a way that some found offensive and cruel.

According to a news report, a 27-year-old female post a picture of her son on the father’s Facebook page. While that would normally be nothing out of the ordinary, the picture was of their child bound in duck tape with a ransom request for $7,000. The woman said it was a joke, but other people who saw the post did not take it that way. Police were alerted and the woman — who was wanting child support paid to her — was arrested for her actions.

This incident occurred in Feb. 2017. Since then, the woman lost custody of her son for six months while she had to attend parenting classes. Just recently, the young mother pleaded guilty to the child cruelty charge filed against her. She will now spend five years on probation, has to pay a fine and will have to continue taking the parenting classes.

At the end of the day, when dealing with a family law issue such as child support enforcement, there are so many better ways of handling it rather than posting on social media. Parents in Ohio who need assistance with such matters can turn to legal counsel for help. With a family law attorney at one’s side, the right steps to address the situation can be taken.